East Idaho Times

U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, both from Idaho, have joined forces with Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and a group of 31 other lawmakers to urge President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to enforce the collection of DNA samples from every immigrant encountered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This demand aligns with the stipulations set forth in the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005.

The lawmakers addressed their concerns directly to the president and vice president, stating: “Following the law, protecting whistleblowers and ensuring the safety of American citizens like Rachel Morin shouldn’t be controversial.” They emphasized that "the Biden-Harris administration’s DHS must follow the law—the consequences are stark when they don’t.”

The DNA Fingerprint Act mandates federal law enforcement agencies to collect DNA from individuals who are arrested, charged, convicted, or detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Whistleblowers have revealed that DHS's failure to adhere to this requirement has impeded efforts to combat violent crime. A significant instance highlighted was DHS missing three opportunities to collect DNA from an illegal immigrant involved in the murder of Rachel Morin, a mother from Maryland.

Patty Morin, Rachel's mother, expressed her distress over this issue: “It is beyond heartbreaking to know that my daughter’s brutal death could have been prevented. This isn’t just a bureaucratic oversight; it’s a deadly failure that turned a protective measure into a hollow promise,” she stated. She further criticized the administration by saying: “President Biden and Vice President Harris’ reckless disregard for border security puts every American family in imminent danger. How many more precious lives have to be lost before they decide to protect the people they were elected to serve?”

In addition to Crapo, Risch, and Grassley, other senators supporting this initiative include Ron Johnson (Wisconsin), Rick Scott (Florida), John Thune (South Dakota), Marco Rubio (Florida), Tim Scott (South Carolina), Ted Cruz (Texas), Steve Daines (Montana), Mike Braun (Indiana), Josh Hawley (Missouri), Roger Marshall (Kansas), Eric Schmitt (Missouri) and Pete Ricketts (Nebraska).